Drunken chicken facts for kids

Drunken chicken is a special way to prepare chicken using certain liquids for flavor. These liquids often contain alcohol, but the alcohol usually cooks out, leaving only a unique taste. This dish is popular in many places, including China, Greece, and Latin America.

Drunken Chicken in China

In Chinese cooking, there are different ways to make drunken chicken.

Shaoxing Drunken Chicken

One very famous type comes from Zhejiang province in eastern China. It is called Shaoxing drunken chicken. This chicken is cooked and then soaked in a special liquid called Shaoxing wine. This wine is a traditional Chinese cooking wine. It gives the chicken a deep and rich flavor.

Steamed Drunken Chicken

Another Chinese version starts with a whole chicken. The chicken is first steamed until it is cooked through. Then, it is cut into pieces that are easy to pick up with chopsticks. The cooked chicken and its juices are mixed with scallions, ginger, and salt.

After cooking, the chicken pieces are soaked in a special liquid. This liquid can be Chinese cooking wine, sherry, or even a distilled spirit like whiskey. The chicken soaks in this liquid overnight in the refrigerator. It is served cold, often as a starter dish.

A cool part of this dish is the special jelly that forms. This jelly comes from the chilled cooking juices mixed with the flavoring liquid. It adds a unique texture and taste to the chicken.

Drunken Chicken in Greece

In Greece and Cyprus, you can find a dish called Methisméno Kotópoulo. This means "Drunken Chicken" in Greek. It is served in many taverna restaurants. You can have it as a small dish (called a meze) or as a main meal.

The basic recipe uses chicken breasts. These are first soaked in a liquid, usually ouzo, which is a Greek drink. Then, the chicken is quickly cooked in a pan. After that, it is slowly cooked in the same liquid it was soaked in.

Drunken Chicken in Latin America

In countries like Argentina, Chile, and Mexico, this dish is known as pollo borracho. This also means "drunken chicken." These versions often include tasty ingredients like green and black olives. They also sometimes add cinnamon for a warm, sweet spice flavor.

See also

In Spanish: Pollo borracho para niños